Wire rope manufacturing machine



Oct. 1l, 1949. w. T. MaccREADlE l 2,484,179

WIRE ROPE MANUFACTURING MACHINE Filed May 13, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet l Ill 9 l l r l l z z l l u r f l l l l l l r g l Oct. 1l, 1949. w. T. MaccREADlE- 2,484,179

WIRE. ROPE MANUFACTURING MACHINE Filed May 13. 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. ll, 1949 WIRE ROPE MANUFACTURING MACHINE y William T.. MacCreadie, Lewisburg,

Pa., assignor.

by mesne assignments. to Sunbury Wire Rope Manufacturing Company, Sunbury, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application May 13, 1947, Serial No. 747,803

8 Claims.

This invention is a wire rope manufacturing machine, and pertains particularly to that type of machine capable of producing a rope or cable in which a plurality of wires are wrapped or twisted together to provide an elongated strand.

An object of the invention is to provide a machine for the production of what might be called small cables, composed of relatively'few strands, and wherein the nished cable may be produced at high speed and by the use of simplified machinery.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wire rope manufacturing machine of the character generally stated which has its mechanism so assembled and operatively connected as to occupy a minimum of space, and further characterized by an assemblage which minimizes the opportunity for vibration.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wire rope machine involving automatic mechanism featured by power means for synchronizing the operations of the guider andwind-up bobbin which means is not effected by centrifugal force, resulting in an insurance of even wind of the nnished cable upon the wind-up bobbin.

With the foregoing objects in view, together with others which will present themselves as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, all as will be described more fully hereinafter, illustrated in the drawings, and specifically set forth in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a top planview of a wire rope manufacturing machine embodying the invention,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the improved machine, f

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially upon line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is a detail fragmentary sectional View taken through one end of the wind-up bobbin cradle and illustrating the assemblage of the parts thereof.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the wind-up bobbin unit includes an elongated cradle represented generally at 5, including the end members 6--1 connected by side members 8 and 9. Arranged longitudinally within the cradle and in spaced parallel relation to each other are sills IIJ-I I, which rotatably support between them a transversely disposed windup bobbin supporting shaft I2, a cam drum shaft I3 and a haul-off drum shaft I4. These shafts are disposed transversely of the cradle in spaced parallel relationship with one another and are preferably disposed in the longitudinal axis of the cradle. The shaft I2 carries a wind-up bobbin of conventional form indicated at I5, while the cam drum shaft I3 carries a cam drum I 6 having therein a spiral groove Il, in which groove engages one end of a guide member I8 mounted for sliding movement upon the guide bar I9 also secured between the sills Ill-I I. The shaft I4 has secured thereto a haul-off drum 20.

The ends of the cradle 5 are provided with outwardly extending longitudinally aligned hollow trunnions 2l and 22. These trunnions are rotatably supported in the bearing members 23. The trunnion 22 projects through its adjacent supporting bearing 23 and has associated therewith a twister die 24 of conventional form, in

which the strands 25 of wire are twisted together' in forming the wire rope, indicated in its completed form at 26. The strands 25 are led from feeder bobbins 21 mounted in cradles 28 rotatably arranged beyond the feed end of the cradle 5. n These feeder bobbins and the cradle supporting the same may take any desired form and may be used in any desired number, the number, of course, depending upon the number of strands to be included in the completed cable. The feeder bobbin cradles are rotated in their bearings 29 by power derived from the main source of power including a shaft 30. This shaft has secured at one end thereof a pulley 3I over which passes a belt 32 also passing around a drum 33 on a supporting shaft of one of the feeder bobbin cradles. Belts 34 connect the shafts of the feeder bobbin cradles in such manner that the cradles will be caused to rotate in synchronism and at a speed dgtermined by the speed of rotation of the shaft 3 The outer end of the trunnion 2I of the windup bobbin cradle has affixed thereto apulley or drum 35, over which passes a belt 36 which also passes around a pulley or drum 31, axed to shaft 30. By this construction it is obvious that the cradle 5 and the mechanism carried thereby is caused to rotate when the or shaft 30 is rotated.

Rotatably mounted within the trunnion zI is a stubshaft 38. The trunnion 2| constitutes a bearing for one end of this shaft 38 while the fixed rbearing member 39 rotatably supports the oppositeend of the said stub shaft. This shaft main power source has keyed or otherwise aflxed thereto a pulley 40, over which passes a belt 4I also passed'around a drum or pulley 42 of power 30.

The stub shaft 38 projects at one end into aixed to the main source the bobbins 21 carried by the said cradles.

amar:

3 th'e cradle 5` and has keyed thereto a gear 43 45 disposed longitudinally of the cradle andsupported in bearings 4Iv in the sill I I. The OPDOSite `I4. From this construction it is apparent that rotary movement applied to thelstubrshaft 38 by belt 4I will be transmitted through main gear 43 to gear 44 and shaft 45, and through the l in mesh with a smaller gearV 44 aillxed to a shaft instrumentality of bevel gears 41-48 will be l transmitted to the haul-olf drum shaft I4.

The inner end of the stub shaft 38 loosely or rotatably supports a` gear 49 in mesh with a smaller gear 58 keyed or otherwise affixed to a '1 shaft 5I mounted in suitable bearings 52 upon sill I0 of the cradle. The shaft 5I has amxed thereto a bevel gear 53, in mesh with a similar vsill I0. The shaft 55 is provided with a worm 58 which engages a worm gear 59 secured to cam drum shaft I3.

The gear 49 has axed thereto on its inner face and concentric with the gear a brake band 68 which encircles and grips a brake drum 5I keyed or otherwisey axed to the adjacent end 0f stubshaft 38.

When the stub shaft 38 is rotated, frictional engagement between the drum 6I and band 68 will cause gear 49 to rotate, which in turn rotates spur gear 50, shaft 5I and bevel gear 53. This rotary motion .is transmitted to the wind-11p bobbin through gear 54, while gear 56\.operates shaft 51 to rotate the cam drum shaft through the instrumentality of the worm and worm gear arrangement 58-59. It is obvious, therefore, that the shafts I2 and I3 are driven from the same power source and will operate simultaneously at the speeds determined by the ratio of gears and worms. Any slippage in the power connection including the drum 8| and band 68 will simultaneously affect the wind-up bobbin and the feed guider.

In operation, the `strands from the feeder bobbin, in the number desired, are led through the twister die 24 and through the hollow trunnion 22 and in their twisted form around the haulol drum to guide pulley or sheave 62, from whence the completely twisted and properly formed wire passes through the .guidefmember I8 and then around the wind-up bobbin I5; Up-

y laps by the guide member I8 travelling in cam groove I1. At the same time, the feeder bobbin cradles 28 are being rotated upon their axes while the wire strands thereof are being paid off from It will be understood that the pulley and belt drive connections for the feeder bobbins will be proper. ly synchronized with the belts imparting power to the wind-up bobbin cradle 5 and the several parts operatively associated therewith.

A machine so constructed occupies a relatively small space and at the same time is capable of rapidoperation to produce a relatively great amount of unbroken twisted strand in a given time.v By locating the power shafts for driving the haul-off drum and for powering the windup bobbin and the cam drum from opposite sides of the cradle, the `latter is properly balanced so that vibrations due to high rotative speed of the cradle are reduced to a minimum. The substitution of a cam drum for feeder operating devices.. heretofore employed insures a more even feed of the completed wire to the wind-up bobbin. By synchronizing the movements of the .cam drum and the wind-up bobbin, an even and regular lap in the winding operation is assured.

Any slippage that might occur is translated to both the wind-up bobbinand the cam drum. This arrangement assures an even wind of the completed cable or rope upon the bobbin whether the bobbin be nearly empty or nearly full.

Due to the fact that the friction brake is disposed concentrically with the stub shaft 38, centrifugal influences upon this power connection are eliminated.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim: d

1. In a wire rope manufacturing machine, an elongated cradle rotatably mounted upon its longitudinal axis, a wind-up bobbin a cam drum and a haul-oil drum rotatably supported in said cradle upon axes disposed transversely of said cradle and in spaced relation to one another, means for rotating said cradle. power means supported by and located on one side of said cradle for rotating said bobbin and said cam drum, and power means supported by and located upon the opposite side of said cradle for rotating said haul-olf drum.

2. In a wire rope manufacturing machine, an

f elongated cradle rotatably mounted upon its longitudinal axis, a wind-up bobbin a cam drum and a haul-o drum rotatably supported in said vcradle upon axes disposed transversely of the cradle and in spaced relation to one another,

vmeans for rotating said cradle, a power shaft said haul-o drum.

3. In a wire rope manufacturing machine, a cradle mounted for rotation of its longitudinal axis. a wind-up bobbin shaft and a cam drum shaft rotatably supported in said cradle with their axes disposed transversely -of said cradle, a cam drum on said cam drum shaft, a shaft rotatably supported on one side of said cradle, intermeshed 4bevel gears on said shaft and said bobbin shaft, a second shaft on said cradle, a bevel gear on one end of said shaft in mesh with the bevel gear of said bobbin shaft, a worm drive connection between the other end of said second shaft and said cam drum shaft, a guide mounted in said cradle for sliding movement laterally thereof and in engagementl with the sam of said drum, and means for driving said first named shaft.

4. In a wire rope manufacturing machine, a cradle mounted for rotation upon lits longitudinal axis, a wind-up bobbin shaft a cam drum shaft and a haul-of! drum shaft all rotatably supported in said cradle with their axes disposed transversely thereof, a cam drum on said cam drum shaft, a shaft rotatably supported on one side of said cradle, intermeshed bevel gears cn said shaft and said bobbin shaft, a second shaft on said cradle. a bevel gear on one end of said shaft in mesh with the bevel gear of said bobbin shaft, a. worm drive connection between the other end of said second shaft and said cam drum shaft, a guide mounted in said cradle for sliding movement laterally thereof and in engagement with the cam of said drum, mearis for driving said first named shaft, an elongated shaft rotatably mounted upon the opposite side of said cradle and disposed longitudinally thereof, a drive connection between said elongated shaft and said haul-off drum shaft, and means for rotating said elongated shaft.

5. In a wire rope manufacturing machine, a bobbin cradle. a hollow trumiion connected to one end of said cradle and rotatably supporting the latter, a bobbin and a cam drum rotatably supported in said cradle, a power shaft extending through said trunnion, a second shaft rotatably supported in said cradle, a power connection between said second shaft and said bobbin and cam drum, a main gear rotatably mounted on said power shaft, a gear afllxed to said second shaft and in mesh with said main gear, a brake drum ailixed to said main shaft, a brake band affixed to said main gear and engaged with said drum, means for rotating said trunnion, and means for rotating said main power shaft.

6. In a wire rope manufacturing machine, a bobbin cradle, a hollow trunnion connected to one end of said cradle and rotatably supporting the latter, a bobbin a cam drum and a haul-01T Idrum all rotatably supported in said cradle, a power shaft extending through said trunnion, a second shaft rotatably supported in said cradle, a power connection between said second shaft and said bobbin and cam drum, an elongated shaft supported by said cradle and in spaced parallel relation to said second shaft, a main gear rotatably mounted on said power shaft, a gear anixed to said second shaft and in mesh with said main gear, a brake drum amxed to said main shaft,

a brake band affixed to said main gear and engaged with said drum, a secondgear aixed to said main power shaft, a drive connection between said second gear and said elongated shaft, means for driving said haul-off drum from said elongated shaft, means for rotating said trunnion, and means for rotating said main power shaft.

7. In a wire rope manufacturing machine, a rotatably mounted cradle, a wind-up bobbin a cam drum and a haul-off drum all mounted for rotation in said cradle, a single power source for rotating said wind-up bobbin and said cam drum, positive drive means for rotating said haul-off drum, and a slip drive connection between said positive drive means and` said single power source.

8. In a Wire rope manufacturing machine, a rotatably mounted cradle, a wind-up bobbin a cam drum and a haul-oi drum all mounted for rotation in said cradle, a power shaft, a positive drive connection between said power shaft and said haul-off drum, a counter shaft to drive said wind-up bobbin and said cam drum simultaneously and at predetermined uniform speeds, a guide member operatively connected with said cam drum, a gear loosely mounted on said power shaft, a gear affixed to said counter shaft in mesh with said iirst named gear, a brake drum on said power shaft, and a brake band on said loose gear engaged with said drum.

WILLIAM T. MACCREADIE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in th ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

